Buckle.



No. 798,605. PATBNTED SEPT. 5, 1905. C. W. HAMILTON. BUCKLE.

APPLICATION nun mus. 23,1905.

2 SHEETBSHBI I T 1.

Q/Oitvwoowy W No. 798,605. PATENTED' SEPT. 5, 1905. 0. w. HAMILTON. BUCKLE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 23, 1905.

2 SHEETB-BHBEK 2.

WWI um may Ami cum! m. mro-Llmoanum WIGHINGYDN. 6! a UNITE STATES PATENT @FFTQE. CLARENCE w. HAMILTON, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

BUCKLE.

No. 798,605. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 5, 1905. Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,981.

still tighter in order to disengage it from the buckle,- as is necessary with other buckles and often quite difficult, particularly where neither the strap nor the object bound thereby will yield. At the same time when the strap is engaged by the buckle and inserted through the strap-loop or under the keeperbar thereof it is impossible for the buckle to release or slip on the strap, and, finally, in the preferred form of the device the buckle is made simply of two parts which are selfcontained together, without the employment of separate fastening means, such as the pintle of ordinary buckles. This is a great desideratum in manufacture, for in the making of most buckles after the separate paFFWY formed a further operation is necessary for securing the parts together, as for inserting and riveting the usual separate pintle. This is obviated in the manufacture "of certain forms of my new buckle.

The foregoing objects and advantages are attained by means substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The invention will be first fully described with reference to said drawings and then particularly pointed out and defined in the annexed claims. 8 In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book shown strapped and buckled by means of a buckle embodying my invention. At present I consider this a preferred form of the device. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the two parts of the buckle detached. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the buckle attached and secured to a strap. Fig. a is a side elevation of the buckle, showing a strap buckled thereby and vits end inserted under the keeper-bar. Fig. 5

is a side View showing the buckle manipulated to release the strap. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the buckle. Fig. 7 is a plan view of another buckle embodying my invention. Fig. 8 is a view showing the separate parts thereof. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of this second buckle with parts broken away; Fig. 10 is a plan view of still another buckle embodying my invention. Fig. ll is a longitudinal vertical section of a buckle of the typeknown as a cord or rope fastener embodying my invention. Fig. 12 is .a perspective view showing an application of the device of Fig. 11 to fastening a cord around a bundle of papers.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the buckle there illustrated comprises two parts a and Z), self- To all whmn it pea/y concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. HAMIL- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia,

5 have invented a certain new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification. This novel buckle may be made in various forms or embodiments, several of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10 It is applicable to all the uses and requirements of ordinary buckles, particularly those employed for fastening straps and the like; but it is much more efficient, convenient, and serviceable and of superior utility by reason 15 of its many distinctive characteristics and advantages over ordinary buckles, which are principally as follows: First, the buckle is automatically self-locking or self-clamping on the strap by the strain or pull of the strap 20 itself-that is, in order to fasten or buckle the strap it is only necessary to pull it through the buckle and draw it to the desired tension, whereupon the buckle will catch and hold the strap as soon as released. Thus the mere 25 pulling of the strap through the buckle is all sufficient for obtaining a firm and positive hold. Moreover, the engagement does not injure nor unduly wear the strap. Again, the strap can be buckled or caught and held 0 at any desired point, instead of only at intervals, as in thecase of ordinary buckles having pivoted tongues for engaging perforations in the strap. This not only avoids weakening the strap by perforations, but it 3 5 also obviates the common objection of having to draw the strap tighter than when itis held. by the buckle in order either to engage or release the same. With ordinary buckles when strapping an objectfor example, when 40 fastening up harness or when strapping a trunkit is necessary to draw the strap tighter than desired in order to carry the hole or perforation beyond the tongue and then let the strap relax to catch or engage such 45 hole on the tongue. Consequently there is usually an objectionable lax or slack in the strap, and frequently it is impossible to bind or strap up an object as tightly as desired on this account; but this annoying objection is 5 wholly obviated with my improved buckle, which holds the strap as tense as desired or as tightly as one can pull it. Furthermore, the buckle will release the strap merely by applying a slight pressure of the finger upon 55 one of its parts. Hence for releasing or unbuckling it is not necessary to pull the strap IIO ' allows for buckling straps contained together, as hereinafter explained. a is a buckle-frame adapted for permanent attachment to a strap, either to one end of the same strap which is intended to be buckled or to another strap or other object. 5 is a loop or bail hinged or pivoted to the buckle-frame at c and through which the strap to be buckled is inserted and drawn to the desired tenseness, the strap being caught between, the tongue d of the buckle-frame and the front bar a of the loop or bail. A strapis indicated by the letter :12. It is shown having one end 3/ attached to an intermediate frame-barf, being folded over said frame-bar and secured by the rivet g or otherwise, while its free end is adapted for insertion through and engagementby the buckle. Back of the intermediate frame-bar f is a keeper-bar it, the buckle-frame being bent or curved up at the rear to raise the keeper-bar /i above said intermediate frame-bar f. The intention is to have h only sufliciently higher than f to allow insertion of the free end of the buckled strap under said keeper bar or between it and the attached portion 1 of the strap. The tongue dis rigid with the buckle-.

frame, extending forwardly in front of the frame-barf. In this instance it is shown as a plate or lip terminating, preferably, in a suitably-beveled edge, or it may be toothed, corrugated, or otherwise formed for effectively engaging or clenching the strap between it and the front bar 6 of the loop. At the back end' of the tongue d or adjacent to the frame-bar f is a transverse socket 1, to receive the rear cross-bar c of the bail. Sufficient space exists between f and 2' to allow the attached end y of the strap to be passed around and secured to the frame-bar f. Said bar 0 rests or fits in said socket as a pintle for the loop and is retained therein by the part 3/ of the strap passing around the frame-bar f. This is the means employed for holding the parts a and 6 together in this case, and it is obviously simple and yet effective. The parts are made separately, as shown in Fig. 2, and are assembled merely by lodging or fitting the pintle c in its socket or open groove z'and then attaching the end y of the strap to the frame bar f. Of course the loop or bail 6 could be attached to the buckle-frame a by an ordinary hole and pintle or pintles, as in Fig. 10; but the construction here illustrated is considered a desirable feature for its simplicity and great advantages in the matter of manufacture. The tongue d is of such length as to engage and bind or clamp the strap :0 between it and the front bar a of the pivoted loop or bail 7), being of course shorter' than the bail. It will be noticed that the front bar 6 is shown inwardly and downwardly beveled, more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6. This of various thicknesses, since a wedge action is afforded by the bevel. The tongue is free to turn upward or above the bail or the bail to swing mit it to move past the back of the tonguewhen assembling the members a and 6. Now assuming that the strap is passed around some object to be bound therebyas, for example, a trunk, or, around a book, as illustrated in Fig. 1-it is obvious that when the free run of the strap is inserted through the loop or bail I) and pulled or drawn so as to bind the book and create opposite strains or tensions at 1 and a the effect is to force the tongue d against the strap and down into the bail or approximately in the same plane therewith,

since the pulls of y and z are on the barsf' and e of the members a and 5, which have an intermediate fulcrum or pivot at 0. Hence, although the strap can be drawn as tense as its own elasticity will allow, when the person pulling it lets go it is already positively buckled, for the strain of the strap itself causes the tongue d to clamp it firmly between said tongue and the front bar a of the loop or bail b. The same result is gained where the buckle is attached to one strap or object and used for buckling up another strap. The strap cannot slip, and it is impossible to unbuckle it by pulling tighter and disengaging or in any other way, except by a means provided that is, by pressing down upon the keeperbar it, as in Fig. 5. The effect of pressure on the keeper-bar is to rock the buckle-frame a on its fulcrum c, and thus move its tongue d from the strap and release or unbuckle the same. It is preferable to have the keeperbar somewhat behind the intermediate framebarf', as shown, for if it were directly above f then the pressure exerted upon it would be sustained by f bearing upon the book or object strapped, and this would make it difficult to unbucklethe strap, though it could still be done by pressing backward on IL, but in any event when the free length of the strap is inserted through the strap-loop afforded by the keeper-bar or between it and y, as in Fig. 4, then the keeper-bar cannot be pressed down by any means whatever, and hence in this case it is absolutely impossible to unbuckle the strap or relax it in the least degree.

The buckle shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is substantially similar in constructionand principle, differing chiefly in form only, and hence the parts are indicated by the same reference characters used for designation of the corresponding parts of the buckle previously described. However, a structural difference exists in relation to the means of pivotal attachment of the two members a and 7). Instead of an open socket or groove the part 01 of the buckle-frame is shown as a tube, and the rear ends of the sides of the bail or loop I) are shown bent inward to form pintles c, which engage in the opposite ends of this tube,

being forced therein by a hammer or pressure after the parts are separately formed. The tube i has projecting ears fat its ends, which afford stops or abutments for ,7) and limit its upward movement relative to the buckleframe.

Another form of buckle embodying my invention is shown in Fig. 10. The general construction is the same as that of the other two buckles, except that the loop or bail 7) is attached to the buckle-frame a by a pintle-pin c, entered through a transverse pivot-holed and secured or riveted to the sides of the bail.

Figs. 11 and 12 show abuckle or device of the kind known as a cord or rope fastener. This is particularly useful for securing cords or ropes around packages of papers, books, mail-bags, &c. It comprises two parts m and 42., the latter in the form of a yoke or bail and pivotally embracing the tongue 0 of m, to which it is pivoted at p. The cord is attached to the part We. at q behind the pintle p, as by inserting it through av hole in said member and looping and tying or otherwise securing the cord. Now when the cord is passed around any bundle, bag, or object and its free end is inserted and drawn through the loop or bail 02. and pulled taut it is caught and clamped between the tongue o and the loop or bail n on the same principle as hereinbefore explained. To release the cord, it is necessary to rock the part m, so as to disengage the tongue 0 from the cord, and for this purpose the rear end of the part 11?. is beveled at its under side to afford a fulcrum-point at 1".

Obviously the invention may be embodied in various forms or constructions, and numerous modifications may be made in its details. For example, as a further means of attaching the parts it is suggested to form the loop or bail b with a rear cross-bar or pintle, as in Figs. 1 to 6, and place it in a longitudinally-slotted tubular socket of the frame and then clench theedges of the socket together to secure the pintle therein.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of a buckle or similar device comprising a member having a rigid front tongue and a bail pivotally embracing said tongue, and a flexible connection attached to the said tongue member intermediate its rear end and the pivot of the bail.

2. The combination of a buckle or similar device comprising a member-having a rigid front tongue and a bail pivotally embracing said tongue, and a flexible connection attached to the said tongue member intermediate its rear end and the pivot of the bail, the rear portion of said tongue member slanting upward and forming a lever having its fulcrum at or near the point of attachment of said connection.

3. The combination of a buckle comprising a buckle-frame having arigid front tongue or lip, intermediate cross-bar, and a rear keeperbar, the frame being bent or curved up rearwardly to place the keeper-bar higher than the 7 5 intermediate cross-bar, and a loop or bail inclosing the tongue and pivotally attached to the frame at a point intermediate said keeperbar and tongue; and a strap having one end fixedly attached around the said internie'diate" r cross-bar; the space between said strap and keeper-bar being of approximately the thickness of the part of the strap which is to be buckled and inserted under the keeper-bar.

4. The combination of a buckle comprising 5 a member having a rigid front tongue and a bail pivotally embracing said tongue, the bail being of proper length to clamp a strap between it and the end of the tongue, and astrap flexibly connected to said tongue member in- 9 termediate its rear end and the pivotal attachment of the bail, the rear end of said tongue member slanting upward and provided with a loop for insertion of the free end of the buckled strap, the said loop having a space of approximately the thickness of the strap.

5. A buckle comprising a frame having a front rigid lip or tongue with a transverse open socket or groove at the back of said tongue and a cross-bar for attachment of the frame to a strap behind said socket, and a loop or bail inclosing the tongue and having a rear cross-bar to fit in said socket as a pintle, the said pintle adapted to be retained in said socket by the strap when attached to said cross-bar, 5 substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE W. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

OSGOOD I-I. DOWELL, EMORY H. BOGLEY. 

